Tiny Space
by BlackRose108
Summary: They had ignored and avoided each other so much that she couldn't even comfort him without there being a physical and mental barrier around them. KATAANG.


**Just a little oneshot to assure you I'm still typing. I have a new story I'm working on, and, yes, Fire War Renaissance is being re-visited…finally! **

**I thought it would be nice if we had gotten one last conversation between Aang and Katara before all the action started to happen, but hey, you can't change the past. But I can write something about it. I tried to keep this in character and in the scheme of the episode since Mike and Bryan decided that Kataang would be awkward until they have their French kiss in the ending, so be it. Though, I did leave it unresolved so that the ending still fit in with what happened. **

**Disclaimer: I've been forgetting to do these, but you all know I own nothing. **

Tiny Space

Aang didn't know why he didn't expect Katara to some after him when she did after he exploded and stormed off, but when he heard her say his name softly and awaken him form meditation it took him by surprise.

"Katara?" He said with a heavy coat of question in his words. She sensed this and decided to come closer in a reassurance that she was still there for him. Ever since the play both her and Aang hadn't spoken a single word to each other. Today happened to be a rarity, being overshadowed by the impending doom before them that they had forgotten their unsettled business.

"Are you okay, now?" she asked him, placing a gentle, and all the more light, hand on his shoulder. Aang sighed.

"Somewhat," he shrugged and came out of his meditating pose. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Katara." He laughed, almost, he was being so pathetic. He knew very well that probably the only option was to kill the Fire Lord, but he was avoiding it like the plague.

"I know it's hard to accept, but I'm sure you'll find a way to beat this whole situation." She squeezed his shoulder, a gesture that was still, although initiated, very light and hesitant. Aang knew their whole relationship was soiled by now. They had ignored and avoided each other so much to the point where she couldn't even comfort him without there being and physical and mental barrier around them.

"Because I always do right?" He asked her somewhat bitterly, it caught her attention. Although he had scrunched his face in a dull mask his eyes gave away all the fear, confusion, pain, and something else—that Katara had seen so many time, yet couldn't identify—that he felt. She slid her hand down his shoulder and took his hand in her own instead. He stared at her, face lightly flushed, with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape.

"We need to talk." He told her before she could open her mouth and say what she was going to.

"Uh," she mumbled instead, meeting him with confused eyes as well.

"About what happened during the play-"

"No, Aang, not now." She cut him off, and tried to tug her hand from his. But her hand was in his firm grasp, and her eyes slowly feel into a lock with his.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't be, I know you were hurt."

"I know, but you were confused and I shouldn't have taken advantage of you. So, I'm sorry." She nodded slowly.

"Thank you," she told him, never leaving his gaze.

"So,"

"So,"

"I should get back to meditating."

"Yeah, yeah, you probably should." Aang nodded and released her hand. For a lack of better words, the talk didn't go the way Aang wanted. He wanted it to end with her falling into his arms and saying she loved him and just made and excuse to avoid it, following by a sweet and passionate kiss that would leave him breathless and completely fortified with optimism to Ozai. But instead she just stood, looking saddened but leaving anyway.

He watched her walk away, amazed and enamored by just how beautiful she was and she turned to face him one more time, seeing that emotion in his eyes and becoming memorized by it. He stood for whatever reason, his mind not following the movements his heart was making, and grabbed her wrist before she could dance out of his grasp. Their eyes locked again, and Katara felt overwhelmed by how darkened his eye had gotten. Maybe it was the moonlight, or the low light the dimming candles had over his eyes? He said her name in one low breath that made her shiver.

"Aang?" She whispered when he began leaning closer to her. "Aang no," he stopped half way, his breath grazing over her lips. He sighed again. He didn't know what to say, what to do or not do. All he did know was that he wanted to kiss her right after he had apologized for taking advantage of her the last time. He bit his lip, instead, squeezing her wrist and closing his eyes tightly."You alright?" Katara asked when she saw his current condition.

"No," he choked out, sounding as if he'd cry any moment. "I-" he started, opening his eyes slowly and looking up at her before continuing. "I love you," Katara's eyes widened. "I love and I'm sorry I love you, but I can't keep on like this, I need you." He didn't wait for her answer, didn't want to hear it because he knew deep down it would only hurt more to hear it. He just leaned forward and sealed his lips with hers. Expecting her to pull away like before but hoping she'd give in like she did during the invasion. But, instead she did something else entirely she kissed him back with just as much force as he did, but a quickly as she kissed she shoved him away, breathing hard and flushed all over.

"Aang, we can't do this now."

"Then when will you be ready?" He asked her desperately, quietly. "When will you stop being confused?"

"I-I don't know."

"Stop it please!" he yelled, not in an angry tone, though, more in a pleading and confused tone that made Katara almost sob herself. "Stop saying you don't know, you have to know _something,_ anything."

"I know that I care about you," she confessed after many moments of breathless silence. "And I know I never want to lose you, like I almost did in Ba Sing Si." He didn't say anything, so she continued. "I just don't know whether I'm ready to be in a relationship right now, not when everything is so fragile."

"So then," Aang finally spoke. "You're just nod ready, it's not like you don't…" She hushed him with a finger on his lips, thought this time her touch wasn't so light, it had weight to it, like it used to. She just nodded, and he nodded, and next thing he knew he was in her arms.

He was overwhelmed by the urge to kiss her again, but he just bit down on his lip, squeezed her tighter, and breathed in her scent, hoping it would ease some of the pain his urge caused him. Though, for some reason he didn't notice when she did the same.

**I was going to end it differently, but this seemed fine. This actually turned out a lot differently than I envisioned it. But then, I realized the first version was so ooc that I couldn't post it as it was, so then this version happened. Eh, I'm glad I'm done, I don't really like the idea that much anymore. **


End file.
